Mimi pushes my buttons, but I can't push hers

The Mimi is a really great toy for people of all skill levels. It's versatile, easy to use, and doesn't require batteries. The only real downside is the buttons: they are hard to press, and it's easy to mix them up. The pros far outweigh the cons though, and it's a really wonderful first toy.

Mimi is a great toy for a number of reasons, one of which is its versatility. Though designed primarily for clitoral stimulation, it can really be used externally all over your body. (It isn't really designed for vaginal insertion, and don't insert it anally since it's not flared - it might get away from you!) The flat top and bottom are a nice contrast to the thinner sides and rounded point - you can get a variety of sensations just by rotating the toy. Personally, I prefer to use Mimi around my clit and labia.

I think this toy should work for just about everyone. Since it's so versatile, you don't need a specific set of genitalia to have fun with it - though women might enjoy it more since it's such a great clit vibe. The controls aren't complicated (even if they are irritating - more on that below), and the shape and texture are simple: this is a good choice for beginners who want to start out with a stronger (or classier) toy.

Since it's pretty small and easy to handle, it can be used a solo for with a friend (or friends!) without worrying about knocking anyone out or getting poked in the eye. (As per the included instructions, avoid contact with eye or eyelid.)

Mimi has a great texture. It's seamless silicone (though I think the area near the buttons is plastic...) which means it's very smooth and appealing to touch. The silicone isn't very grabby - unlike other silicone toys I own, this one isn't a lint magnet. I know this sounds weird, but it almost feels soft. One side has "Je Joue" and their logo written on it - this is very small, and indented, so it doesn't really make a difference to the texture (I've never noticed it during use.) The texture isn't "advanced," but it's really nice to touch! (Oh, and remember, don't use silicone lube with silicone toys! Stick with water-based to keep your toys safe!)

The base (where the buttons are) has a slightly different texture - if you look at the pictures you can see where the material changes (it's most noticeable in the light pink version). This feels like plastic. There's no gap between this and the silicone, which makes cleaning easy.

There's no taste or smell. Well, ok, there's a tiiiiny bit of smell if I stick it right up to my nose, but I have to look for it. There might have been a slight smell out of the box (I forget), but if there was it's completely washed off. (Please wash your toys before using them!)

I liked the design of the Mimi a lot - it's simple but flexible, and uncomplicated. The top and bottom are quite flat (good for diffuse vibration), the sides taper to a wide ridge (good if you want vibration along a line), and the tip is a rounded ridge. The tip won't give you very pinpointed vibration - so if you like to pick *exactly* where to vibrate, this might not be the best choice. If you aren't super fussy, you can still get reasonably specific with your stimulation - I'm pretty happy with the specificity of it.

Mimi fits comfortably in my hand (I think I have average-sized lady hands? Maybe a bit on the small side?). I can easily hold Mimi at a variety of different angles and rotations. I'm not sure how to qualify ergonomic, but I think Mimi is pretty ergonomic? The size isn't challenging - even if you've never held a sex toy before, you shouldn't have any difficulty.

The size and shape are not designed to be used internally - I did try a bit (for science!) but without much luck. Because Mimi is reasonably flat, it can be put sideways (or flatways, if you prefer) between the labia pretty comfortably. It's pretty good for external vaginal use like this, but don't pick it for penetration.

Mimi is sort of discreet. The shape is fairly nondescript, however it is NOT easy to turn off quickly (more on this in the next section), so it's not a good one to use if anyone is likely to walk into your room unexpectedly. You do need to let it sit out to charge, but the shape isn't terribly obvious, so that isn't a huge issue. It's reasonably good for travel because the buttons are so difficult to turn on, but it doesn't lock, and it has no batteries to remove, so there's always the chance that it could switch on somehow.

One thing the Mimi reeeeeally has going for it are the quality of its vibrations. It has 5 steady vibration speeds, from pretty low to STRONG. (If you have the 2-speed Wahl: the highest speed is stronger than the Wahl on low, and weaker than the Wahl on high.) It isn't the strongest toy out there, but unless you have a clit o' steel, you'll probably find the Mimi strong enough.

After the 5 steady speeds, there are several patterns:
1. a slow on-off pulse
2. another on-off pulse, twice the speed
3. a "rollercoaster:" smooth pulsing between low and high (doesn't stop vibrating)
4. increasing pulses - sort of like a rollercoaster, with gaps of no vibration in between. Fast, but slower than 2.
5. a fast rollercoaster (doesn't stop vibrating)

If you like vibration patterns, this is a great toy because there is such a variety to choose from. If you don't know if you like patterns, this is a great to to try them with because there are also the 5 steady speed to choose from.

The vibrations are reasonably "rumbly" too - I can't stand buzzy vibes, and I was happy with the feel of Mimi's vibrations.

One problem I've noticed is that the quality of the vibrations changes a bit depending on where you hold the toy - holding nearer the middle means they get a but weaker and lower. It doesn't really bother me during use though.

The vibrations can be felt throughout the toy, but are focussed at the tip.

Now we come to the main problem with the Mimi: the buttons. There are (+) and (-) buttons at the base of the toy. These are (in one way) great because they are also how the toy charges (see below). No holes in the toy make it more waterproof, a lot easier to clean, and it's a really innovative way to minimize the complexity of the toy. Unfortunately, the button are also REALLY difficult to push. You have to hold the (+) for 2 seconds to turn it on - this is always longer than I think it is, and I almost never manage to turn Mimi on the first time. You also have to push pretty hard for the buttons to register - it can get a little painful if you're switching between modes a lot. The buttons are also hard to tell apart during use - they're both the same size and have similar textures, and it's easy to get the wrong one. I usually have to look at the end to figure out which is which. So that is super irritating. ,

However, the controls are easy: you push and hold (+) to turn on the toy, push (+) to cycle forwards through the vibrations, (-) to cycle backwards, and hold (-) to turn the toy off.

Mimi is rechargeable, which is super awesome. Just match up the buttons with the metal patches on the charger: they're magnetic, so if they don't stick, try flipping Mimi over. When the Mimi is charging, a red light on one side with flash: when it stops flashing, it's finished charging. Because the charger doesn't plug into anything, you do need to be careful not the jostle the toy while it's charging, as the magnetic connection can break (it's ok if it does though, you just have to notice and stick it back on).

The toy is pretty quiet, but it does vary by speed. The lowest speed is barely audible, while the highest can be heard clearly under blankets (but not through a closed door). The noise does decrease a bit if you hold it firmly in the middle.

The Mimi is waterproof, but the lack of any defined edges can make it hard to hold on to in the shower if you're soapy.

The packaging is really nice - unsurprising, since Mimi is marketed as a luxury toy. There's an outer box with some subtle details about the toy - the name, the brand, a picture, a short description. If you were aware of sex toys, you could figure out what this was from the box, but other people might be confused. After opening that, there's an inner box, which just says "Je Joue," wrapped in plastic, which opens to the Mimi sitting in formed plastic. The plastic layer can be removed to find the charger and operating instructions.

Personally, if I was giving Mimi as a gift, I would remove the outer box, and just use the inner box. The inner box can be used as storage for the toy and the charger, and it's classy enough to leave out without comment. (Unless you have friends who like to open any boxes lying around.)

Most of the packaging is recyclable, except for the plastic bits.

The instruction booklet is pretty minimal - it has a long list of things to not do with the Mimi, but no extensive instructions. I didn't mind that though, since the toy is pretty easy to figure out.

The Mimi is one of my favourite toys now! Despite the button issue, it's a lot of fun, and I really enjoy how many different ways I could use it. I've recommended it to a bunch of my friends, and if you don't have strong toys preferences it's versatile enough that you can use it to figure out what sort of things you like.

Follow-up commentaryI still like it1 month after original review

I still like this! I've gotten used to the buttons a bit more, but they still occasionally refuse to cooperated. I never bring this one home if I'm visiting family, I wouldn't be able to turn it off fast enough if I needed to! Which is a shame, because it's really so nice otherwise.

This product was provided at a discounted price in exchange for an unbiased review. This review is in compliance with the
FTC guidelines.